Have you been reading BATMAN: LI'L GOTHAM? It's a great digital series by Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen. The chapters have been coming out around the holidays but it's just been announced that the series is moving to a twice a month schedule.
We took this opportunity to ask Dustin a few questions about the series and this change.
Comic Vine: How did the series turn from holiday-themed installments to a bi-monthly series?
Dustin Nguyen: Around last Christmas sometime, we got a call from DC basically telling us "People like it, you should do more. Can you do more?" So we're doing more.
CV: Does this free you up to do other stories rather than just focus on the holidays?
DN: It definitely does. Though we're still sticking with the original stories we've outlined for the year- holiday-wise, but now we have a "B side" as our Editor Sarah Gaydos likes to call it. Some of which gives us room to have extended chapters, 2 parters and such.
CV: Why has it taken so long for this to become an actual series?
DN: Hah! It depends on who you ask. Me - scheduling has been a big issue for the past few years, Derek Fridolfs and I have always been tied up with one deadline or another since...forever. For DC, it was just a matter of where to put a series like this. Initially, they were 10 page, single stories, and holiday specials. That makes it sort of specific in format and distribution. So I told DC, "Hey you know what? I have an idea - create something called DC DIGITAL for me, so we can put Lil Gothams in there". And it was DONE.
Just kidding, but that would be a way better answer.
== TEASER ==
CV: Looks like the series will see its first printed issue in April. What are the pros and cons of doing a digital first comic?
DN: The pros are definitely getting more eyes on it from folks that normally wont run to the store to pick up a single 10 page book. Many readers of Lil Gotham are friends and fans I've known that love comic art, but rarely read or keep up with actual comics. Many of them are overseas or in an area without a comic store within miles. Digital allowed them to visit a website, homepage, facebook page - whatever, and say "Oh hey, there's a new book. It's .99 cents. I can read it right now" Click. Done. So I'd say accessibility is a big factor. As with anything, if you spend a ton of energy and time on something, it's all about getting as many eyes on it as possible.
Cons, besides majorly re-working the way I tell a story panel to panel to make it work for the e-readers, the schedule is still just as rigorous as any monthly book... so the cons are the same as ever.
CV: Will each issue remain self-contained?
DN: For the most part they will be, we have a few that will take more than 10 pages to tell. We'll have our own little summer event. Very little.
CV: Will other Li'l characters ever show up or are you just focusing on the Gotham residents?
DN: Ah most definitely. You'll get to see a little JLA cameo in this month's Valentine's special. Then later on this year, we actually leave Gotham City for a bit too.
The Valentine's Day issue goes on sale digitally this Sunday.